206 IN THE DIPLOMATIC SERVICE -XVIII 



a very interesting talk with the Emperor regarding the 

 kindness shown his brother by the American people, at 

 the close of which he presented me to his guest, the Crown 

 Princess of Saxony. She was especially kindly and 

 pleasing, discussing various topics with heartiness and 

 simplicity ; and it was a vast surprise to me when, a few 

 months later, she became the heroine of perhaps the most 

 astonishing escapade in the modern history of royalty. 



As to matters of business, there came one which es 

 pecially rejoiced me. Mr. Carnegie having established 

 the institution for research which bears his name at 

 Washington, with an endowment of ten million dollars, 

 and named me among the trustees, my old friend Dr. Gil- 

 man had later been chosen President of the new institu 

 tion, and now arrived in Berlin to study the best that 

 Germans were doing as regards research in science. Our 

 excursions to various institutions interested me greatly; 

 both the men we met and things we saw were full of in 

 struction to us, and of all public duties I have had to 

 discharge, I recall none with more profit and pleasure. 

 One thing in this matter struck me as never before the 

 quiet wisdom and foresight with which the various Ger 

 man governments prepare to profit by the best which 

 science can be made to yield them in every field. 



Upon these duties followed others of a very different 

 sort. On the 19th of June died King Albert of Saxony, 

 and in view of his high character and of the many kind 

 nesses he had shown to Americans, I was instructed to 

 attend his funeral at Dresden as a special representative 

 of the President. The whole ceremonial was interesting ; 

 there being in it not only a survival of various mediaeval 

 procedures, but many elements of solemnity and beauty; 

 and the funeral, which took place at the court church in 

 the evening, was especially impressive. Before the high 

 altar stood the catafalque ; in front of it, the crown, scep 

 ter, orb, and other emblems of royalty; and at its sum 

 mit, the coffin containing the body of the King. Around 

 this structure were ranged lines of soldiers and pages in 



